NORTHEAST WISCONSIN (WBAY) – The National Weather Service offices in Green Bay and Milwaukee has revised the number of confirmed tornadoes in WBAY-TV’s viewing area from 11 to 10 — still the largest tornado outbreak in Northeast Wisconsin history, tying with the outbreak on April 10, 2011.
The NWS says tornadoes touched Green Lake, Shawano, Winnebago, Outagamie and Brown counties during Wednesday’s severe weather.
The NWS has removed a tornado in Navarino from its list, though we don’t know the reasons why. The investigation is fluid, and the National Weather Service says the information may change.
We’ve listed the reports here chronologically:
2 miles east-northeast of Gresham
Rating: EF0
Peak Winds: 70 mph
Length: Brief
Width: 25 yards
1:47 p.m.
Markesan
Rating: TBD
Peak Winds: TBD
Length: TBD
Width: TBD
2:45 p.m.
This tornado report is based on video of a tornado and a Green Lake County Emergency Management survey of a damage path. The National Weather Service says the highest winds measured in this area Wednesday were 75 mph, which would likely place this at an EF0 or EF1 depending on the extent of damage.
Appleton/Kimberly
Rating: EF1
Peak Winds: 95 mph
Length: 5.9 miles
Width: 125 yards
3:28 p.m., then on the ground for 7 minutes. Tornado began in northeast Winnebago County and moved so the southeast side of Appleton, uprooting or damaging trees and hitting several structures, including two industrial buildings.
Bear Creek
Rating: EF0
Peak Winds: 70 mph
Length: 4 miles
Width: 50 yards
3:31 p.m., on the ground for 7 minutes
Mackville
Rating: EF0
Peak Winds: 60 mph
Length: Brief
Width: 50 yards
3:33 p.m., on the ground for one minute, causing minor tree damage.
Nichols #1
Rating: EF1
Peak Winds: 90 mph
Length: 4 miles
Width: 75 yards
3:35 p.m., on the ground for 10 minutes
Navarino*
Rating: TBD
Peak Winds: TBD
Length: 3.5 miles
Width: TBD
3:40 p.m., on the ground for 5 minutes
*Removed from NWS list during investigation
Nichols #2
Rating: EF1
Peak Winds: 90 mph
Length: 5.1 miles
Width: 75 yards
3:44 p.m., on the ground for 7 minutes
Pulaski
Rating: EF1
Peak Winds: 90 mph
Width: 150 yards
Length: 5.8 miles
3:51 p.m., on the ground for 8 minutes, destroying a barn, damaging two garages, and damaging or uprooting dozens of trees.
Angelica
Rating: EF0
Peak Winds: 80 mph
Width: 50 yards
Length: 3 miles
3:53 p.m., on the ground for two minutes
Morrison
Rating: EF0
Peak Winds: 60 mph
Width: 50 yards
Length: 1.35 miles
3:53 p.m., on the ground for 2 minutes, causing minor tree damage.
NWS teams have been surveying possible tornado damage in eastern Shawano County, northern Brown County, southern Oconto County, and the Appleton area.
The storm blasted through the central part of the state with winds of 50 to 95 miles per hour, causing widespread damage.
Law enforcement reported a tornado at 3:43 p.m. five miles southeast of the Navarino Wildlife Area and another at 3:52 p.m. near Frazer Corners in Shawano County. A funnel cloud was reported in the Town of Lessor, near Navarino. An insurance agent provided a photo that appears to show a tornado on the ground near Angelica. Viewers sent us photos of tree line damage near the Shawano-Outagamie county line indicating a tornado’s path.
Shawano County Emergency Management says some homes and outbuildings were damaged and some roads are blocked. The storm tracked through Lessor, Maple Grove and Angelica. Volunteer agencies are going door-to-door to check if anyone was injured. Road conditions in eastern Shawano County are hazardous due to the heavy rainfall, and the county highway department is monitoring the affected roads.
In Waushara County, the American Red Cross has opened a shelter at Wild Rose Elementary School for people without utilities or who need a place to stay for the night.
The Waushara County sheriff says it appears his entire county was affected by the storm, with trees down and some structures damaged, but no reports of serious injuries. Sheriff Jeff Nett says state highways and county roads are passable. However, some town roads are still closed because of downed trees.
Sheriff Nett says it could be some time before power is restored.
The property owners are responsible for removing trees on their land. Right now the Sheriff’s Office does not know of any locations for land owners to take trees and brush to. Trees that are against houses or other buildings should be removed by trees services or other contractors. The county and the townships cannot help with removing trees from private land.
ThedaCare says two patients with head injuries in Shawano were sent to Green Bay hospitals because the medical facility was on a backup generator; power is now restored.
ThedaCare Medical Center-Wild Rose was damaged by branches falling on the roof. Power has returned and the hospital is running as normal.
Power is still out at ThedaCare Physicians – Wild Rose. Clinic patients will be directed to other locations.
ThedaCare At Home in Appleton was the hardest-hit facility: The roof was heavily damaged, a gas line was cut, and there’s no power. The organization says it will re-open on Friday. However, it is not known when the office will be back in operation. The hospital is working at other locations to continue to give service to patients.
ThedaCare At Home retail store in Waupaca will be open Thursday.
The American Red Cross says it has sent teams to Waushara County and Shawano County.
The metal roof was nearly torn off the Appvion warehouse on Appleton’s Radio Road. Part of a side of that building was missing, and a semi tractor-trailer was on its side.
Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said, “I did talk to an Appvion official earlier. Fortunately there were no injuries. Everyone is safe, which of course that is the #1 concern, so we’re very thankful for that.”
A car wash in nearby Kimberly also lost its roof.
Passengers on a flight bound for Appleton were diverted to Green Bay’s airport. Everyone was whisked out of the terminal and into the basement of the airport until the storm passed. Just outside, part of the roof blew off the Executive Air hangar and on to some cars. Yellow insulation littered the parking lot.
The National Weather Service says there was no damage from a funnel cloud that was reported near Keshena around 2 p.m.
Law enforcement reported a tornado briefly touched down near County Highway VV in Menominee County, but the National Weather Service says on further review it was a funnel cloud, meaning it didn’t reach the ground.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning 15 minutes earlier when radar indicated rotation in the storm, though at that time there was no tornado sighting.
by WBAY
Posted: Wed 2:25 PM, Jun 14, 2017 | Updated: Thu 10:38 PM, Jun 15, 2017
